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Georgia hit Armenia for six in Nations League second leg to complete sweep

Giorgi Chakvetadze of Georgia celebrates his goal
Giorgi Chakvetadze of Georgia celebrates his goalLEVAN VERDZEULI / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP
Georgia secured their League B status in the UEFA Nations League (UNL) in style, smashing Armenia 6-1 (9-1 Agg) as new manager John van 't Schip’s reign kicks off with comprehensive back-to-back defeats.

With Armenia already 3-0 down from the first leg, any hopes of a comeback were faint, and the game quickly turned into a damage-limitation exercise thanks to some clinical finishing from the hosts.

Georgia only needed four minutes to open the scoring as Giorgi Tsitaishvili’s cross found the well-timed run of Otar Kiteishvili, whose effort nestled into the back of the net via the post after a huge deflection off Varazdat Haroyan.

Georges Mikautadze doubled the lead 10 minutes later with a composed finish to find the bottom corner before Giorgi Chakvetadze got in on the act to make it 3-0 with another excellent finish on 23 minutes.

The shellshocked Armenian defence started to implode as the half wore on and paid the price when they gifted the ball to home talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose perfectly weighted ball was smashed home by Kiteishvili.

The goals kept coming and the hosts made it five after only 35 minutes when Mikautadze latched on to a slack backpass and, brimming with confidence, effortlessly lifted the ball over Ognjen Cancarevic from 25 yards.

Clearly unimpressed with what he was seeing, Van 't Schip’ made a triple change before half-time and it paid off immediately after the break, with Edgar Sevikyan firing home an overhead kick from close range.

That proved to be only a brief respite, however, as Kvaratskhelia got on the scoresheet, smashing home after a sumptuous no-look through ball from Anzor Mekvabishvili.

Result and scorers
Result and scorersFlashscore

That goal ultimately rounded off the scoring, ensuring Georgia have still never been relegated in the UNL and stay in League B. Meanwhile, Van 't Schip will need to work some magic on a defence that’s now gone 29 games without a clean sheet if he is to inspire an Armenia side who remain in League C.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia)

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